Novak Djokovic, the world number one, grabbed his 20th Grand Slam title at Wimbledon this month. He is set to make history after Andre Agassi, who achieved a Career Grand Slam in 1999, by winning the four Grand Slam tournaments, an Olympic gold medal, the Davis Cup and the ATP Tour Finals.

Watching Djokovic in action is a real treat, his muscles flexing and sinews rippling as he smashes aces, volleys and back-hands across the court. He is a tornado, especially on the grass court. This year, he established dominance on the clay court also. Nadal had always excelled on clay but this year, he was beaten by Djokovic in the semi-final of the French Open. Djokovic then went on to win the final as well.

Djokovic was up against Matteo Berrettini in the Wimbledon final. When I started watching the match, I thought it would be a straight sets-win for the world number one. But when Berrettini turned the tables in the first set and made an incredible comeback, I knew that the Italian was not going to make it an easy victory for Djokovic. In the second set, Djokovic seemed to be in good form, as he single-mindedly and doggedly demolished his opponent. The steely resolve, the unwavering determination and the killer focus were evident in the way he sprinted across the court like a machine. Djokovic is not very popular with the crowd due to his rather stern and severe expression, but he has proven time and again that he is one of the greatest tennis players of all time. He is likely to smash many records before he decides to retire.

The crowd enjoyed the action-packed Wimbledon final at Centre Court, while basking in the bright sunshine. Celebrities, like the age-defying Tom Cruise, rubbed shoulders with royalty and provided some much-needed eye candy, as well as adding a dash of glamour and a touch of class. Quite a few people were rooting for Berrettini, who struggled to hold his own against the tennis titan. Italian fans in the crowd in particular were cheering on the underdog, as he used every trick up his sleeve and every ounce of will power and resolve at his disposal.

After conceding the first set, in an incredible volte face, the Serb seemed angry with himself. Each player broke the other’s serve, so that it was a nail-biting final, with both pulling out all the stops. Berrettini had youth on his side and displayed some impressive moves, but eventually, the world number one proved his mettle and grabbed his sixth Wimbledon title and his twentieth Grand Slam title, equalling both Nadal and Federer’s records with a 6-7, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 victory.

Wimbledon crowds have a history of rooting for the underdog and the Centre Court has witnessed some incredible tennis matches over the decades. Berrettini had his fair share of supporters. Had he not been pitted against the top-ranked Serb, he might have stood a chance. Djokovic, however, was determined not to let the Italian dominate the game after the first slip-up.

One of the most popular Grand Slam tournaments, Wimbledon attracts viewers from all over the world, ranging from royalty and international celebrities to the who’s who of the tennis world. The Duchess of Cambridge is an avid tennis fan and can often be seen in the royal box with other members of her family. The atmosphere on Sunday was electric, and the crowd witnessed some of the best tennis seen in recent times.

This is often referred to as the golden era of tennis, as it has produced the three tennis legends, Nadal, Federer and Djokovic, who will all go down in history as some of the best tennis players the world has ever seen. All three have twenty Grand Slam titles to their credit and are in a league of their own. The immense talent and experience that all three possess will ensure that they will be hailed as examples for aspiring players. Their name will be preserved in history alongside champions like Borg, McEnroe, Agassi and Sampras.

Let’s wait and watch whether Djokovic succeeds in winning his last Grand Slam tournament of the year and break Nadal and Federer’s records.

The writer is an   educationist and can be reached at gaiteeara

@hotmail.com